Wednesday, May 30, 2012

This is a part of a challenge quilt I'm working on in a contest being run by my guild. I'll go into great detail about all the rules and show the finished piece when it's done, but for now, I need advice. One of the rules is that you use wood, plastic, or metal on your piece. I've got a bunch of wonderful color-coordinated buttons in all the colors that are on this quilt (it's a mini). Should I put those buttons ON the patches where the X's intersect? Or should I put them on the white sashings where they intersect (and thus cover up some un-matched seams)? My original intent was to put them on the sashing - sort of like cornerstones - and then I wouldn't have to worry about those seams.

This is a technique I learned from Karen Combs' book Combing Through Your Stash. You make 9-patch blocks that are half light and half dark, and look like giant HSTs. You then can make any block pattern that calls for HSTs. This top is about 35" square - and is made up of 384 2" squares plus 108 HSTs.

Over on the 15 Minutes Play blog, we've been doing a color challenge. Every week Victoria posts a color and we a) find some coordinating fabric, b) "make" fabric using the pieces we found, and c) make a block that we then share with the group on the blog. I've been making two blocks for each color - a 12.5" block and a 6.5" one. It's allowed me to use some more of my accumulated scraps.

I won the blocks for this in the Block Lotto - and made the quilt for my daughter Theresa. She's a very warm-blooded person - sensitive to the cold. Any time she comes to visit she complains about how cold it is in the house. She also likes to stay warm at home - and says she'll use this quilt when she's studying and watching TV. I used flannel for both the backing and "batting," so it's quite cozy. It's quilted by Cathy Kreter, who is in my guild.

Jeni at In Color Order has been doing a Block of the Month in which all of the blocks are made of HSTs. Last week I got caught up. I'm doing 6.5" blocks instead of the 12.5" ones Jeni is doing, since I had some fat quarters in my stash I wanted to use.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

My mother is an avid book reader - she's nuts about books. Nearly every room in her house is floor to ceiling with books. Most of the time, when I need to get her a gift, I get her a gift card to Barnes & Noble. But when I saw this cute tutorial on Elizabeth's website, I knew I'd have to make her this quilt for Mother's Day.

The book titles are all from selvedges I've been collecting the past couple of years.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

I've also been using my time to catch up with Randy's Sow-Along. It's the only project that I'm using 30s reproduction fabrics on - I really am starting to enjoy the bright, modern fabrics that are so popular. I just placed another order for more - it really is an addiction, isn't it?!

I've been enjoying some nice days in my sewing studio. I may have mentioned in an earlier post that I'm doing some substitute teaching with the district from which I recently retired; I like to work 2-3 days a week and spend the other days in my sewing room. Last week I worked Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so I got to sew Tuesday, Thursday, and today.

I am now current on the Modern Monday/Traditional Tuesday blocks from Jenifer's 42 Quilts. While Jenifer is starting to put them in rows and sew them together, I'm going to wait until all of them are done and lay them out the way that looks best. I might make some smaller quilts - I haven't decided.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Assorted blocks and quilts to show:

Ribbon Star for Sue S - Stash Bee

Mini Quilt and gifts from Teresa in Scotland for STUD (Swap Till You Drop)

Mini from Teresa in Scotland

Hatch and Windows quilt top

The Hatch and Windows is a top I made as part of the MysteryQuilts4Military Yahoo Group. About 80% of the fabric was given to me by a friend. I added only some black. The top has been donated to my guild's community service program.

So yes, I've been very busy - though I could have even been busier! About a month ago, we decided that we needed a little extra cash since we wanted to go to Colorado for the late summer and early fall, AND go to our son's wedding in New York in October. So, I'm subbing with the district from which I just retired, and I try to get 2 or 3 days a week. I miss my swimming and water aerobics, but I really need to do this. I now cherish those days I'm not subbing, and spend them in my sewing room.